Bakary Mariko, a spokesperson for the group of soldiers who seized power in a March 21 coup, said Diarra's resignation after his arrest was not a coup, adding that a new prime minister would be named soon."This is not a new coup d'etat," Mariko told France 24 television.

Mariko said Diarra was arrested as he tried to leave the country after "inciting trouble". Diarra had been the interim prime minister since April when the army handed power back to civilians.

A member of Diarra's entourage told the AFP that he "was arrested by about 20 soldiers late on Monday.

"They said Captain Sanogo sent them to arrest him," he added, referring to the leader of the March coup.

The source, who witnessed the arrest, said the soldiers had "smashed in the door of the prime minister's residence and took him away a bit violently”.

'Still in control'

Jim Terrie, a former senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, a think-tank, told Al Jazeera that the prime minister had quit due to pressure from those behind the coup.